A Knight's Tale

about a three-year old boy

Never has a boy held the key to my heart like Julian Kiehl Hartwick. Jules was born on September 23, 2004, and my life has not been the same since. I am in love like never before. When he is away from me, my heart hurts. When he smiles at me, my heart dances. When he calls me "mom" I pinch myself. When he calls me "sweetheart" like he did this morning while teaching me to play with the new crane, I pinch myself again. As my friend Sarah once said, "Your love is better than chocolate, better than anything else that I've tried."

Julian is my baby no more, but a boy. A boy who has taught me what happiness means. A boy who taught me to laugh. A boy who taught me to cry. A boy who reminds me to how to find joy in frogs, bubbles, scooters, trains, bugs, spongebob, and all creatures pre-historic. A boy who is currently teaching me to let go. To find myself. Teaching me to be a better mom and a better person.

I used to think "mom" was a bad word. I was going to be one of those parents that insisted on being called by my first name. Julian would say, "Hey Andrea, can you get me chocolate milk please?" Now, it is one of my favorite words, but a title I do not feel worthy of.

I will miss my two-year old boy, but I am so excited to continue to experience the life of this three-year old boy.


So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin,
you're waiting for someone to perfom with
And don't you know that it's just you, hey Jude, you'll do,
the movement you need is on your shoulders.